CONNECT WITH US
Tech

Tech

An Imminent Google Satellite Test Is Another Step Toward Data Centers in Space

CNET - Tech logo

Published on

Add as a preferred source on Google
An Imminent Google Satellite Test Is Another Step Toward Data Centers in Space

Google is testing to see if its AI computing equipment can handle being launched into orbit.

On Oct. 1, Google plans to hitch a ride on a SpaceX Transporter 18 rideshare flight, entrusting the mission with a test satellite it hopes will prove durable enough to start doing some light AI work while orbiting in space.

This isn’t exactly putting a data center in space — a much-hyped concept that AI entrepreneurs like Elon Musk have been touting over the last year —but it’s not not doing that. The satellite, which The New York Times reports is called “MWP” and which it describes as about the size of a refrigerator, won’t be running any huge medical research studies or beaming back streaming data. It will be low-powered, running off solar power, and designed just to test the concept of AI computation in space. Google is running the test in partnership with the satellite imaging company Planet and as part of Google’s Project Suncatcher initiative, which was announced late last year.

In a blog post that includes videos showing some of the preparation Google’s research teams have done — such as making sure that TPUs (a type of AI chip) can withstand the vibration of launching into space — the company characterizes this test as a small early step in a long-term moonshot: “exploring whether space could one day host scalable machine learning infrastructure.”

In a post on X , Google CEO asked, “Can our TPUs survive and operate in space?


Source link
Related Topics:Tech

Disclaimer

We strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in all of our reporting and coverage. We TheMorningPulse.fyi want to be transparent with our readers about any potential conflicts of interest that may arise in our work. It's possible that some of the investors we feature may have connections to other businesses, including competitors or companies we write about. However, we want to assure our readers that this will not have any impact on the integrity or impartiality of our reporting. We are committed to delivering accurate, unbiased news and information to our audience, and we will continue to uphold our ethics and principles in all of our work. Thank you for your trust and support.